


The Floes Under Our Feet Bled Into The Sea

by nitpickyabouttrains



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dawn - Freeform, Gen, Hockey, Marauders, Remus On Ice, and a thing for attempting to write a sport I don’t understand, apparently I have a thing for people getting injured on ice, dawn 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 02:25:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17275343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nitpickyabouttrains/pseuds/nitpickyabouttrains
Summary: The marauders play hockey.For reasons.





	The Floes Under Our Feet Bled Into The Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kirenamuln](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirenamuln/gifts).



> My second Dawn fic! Because why not.

“This,” Sirius said, rubbing his eyes tiredly, and hunching his shoulders forward against the early morning sharp winds, “is a terrible idea.”

Next to him, Remus was looking all too chipper, considering they were up before the sun on a Saturday morning. If it had been for a good reason, like having not gone to bed the night before, it might be another story. But no, they had gotten up this early on purpose.

“Yes, it is,” Remus agreed, his voice upbeat and awake.

Sirius suspected Remus had a secret stash of coffee somewhere, it was the only excuse. That or he had used a Pepper-Up Potion.

“Then  _ why _ are we going along with this dumb plan? Can’t James find another way to show off for Lily?” Sirius grumbled. He was all for James getting the girl, just as long as it didn’t interfere with his sleep schedule.

“Seems to me it’s less of a plan, and more of a game,” Remus pointed out. “A game that James needs five other people to play. And since he already has a team with six other people-“

Sirius snorted and shook his head, “Right, I am remembering the rousing speech after Quidditch practice the other day now. All about team pride and not letting those Slytherins win at any game. James really can be convincing when he is passionate about something.”

“As I recall, you were right there next to him, shouting just as loud,” Remus reminded him. Remus wasn’t on the team, but he came to all the practices. Usually he sat with Alice, who was on hand as a mediwizard-in-training in case something went wrong, and caught up on reading. But James was loud, and got louder the more he believed in what he was saying. This time, the whole Quidditch pitch heard.

“I might have gotten caught up in the moment,” Sirius shrugged. “But I didn’t know we were going to have to play this muggle game so early in the morning.”

Sirius kicked a frozen clod of dirt on the path in front of him and sighed. The thing was, as early as it was, Sirius would not have missed this for anything. James needed them to defend the House. Or, at least, take down Severus. That was all the mattered.

Remus clearly thought so, too. He understood that they needed to support their friend, no matter how dumb he was being. Remus wasn’t even going to play, and yet there he was, walking to the frozen lake as the sun rose, just to show his support. 

That, or to make sure they didn’t all die. It was hard to tell sometimes with Remus.

“Couldn’t very well play it in the middle of the day, could you?” Remus said, sounding rather chipper. “Some teacher would have stopped you.”

Of course not in the middle of the day. But after supper, maybe, or at night. Sirius hadn’t exactly thought it through at the time. But of course they would not be asking the permission of the school, they never did for things like this. James had set it all up, with Severus, and this was the plan. They would play at dawn.

Sirius knit his brow together and said in an overly careful voice, “So you mean they  _ don’t _ want students strapping metal blades to their feet and going out on the frozen lake?”

“You know, I don’t think James asked,” Remus smirked.

“Too late now, anyway,” Sirius said, as they approached the lake. James was already there, talking to Lily. There was a pile of wooden sticks on the ground next to them, and Lily was holding out her wand, running it over them. “Might as well make the best of it, since we are already up.”

+++

Remus stood back with Lily while everyone who was playing started to gather together on the edge of the ice. Lilly had laid out all the things they would need, skates and sticks, and the players were putting padding spells on each other, to cushion when they fell on the ice.

Nearby, the Slytherins were doing the same thing. It seemed that Lily had made them the same sticks, and Severus was standing in front of his team, holding up a metal blade, and gesturing. Remus assumed he was going through an explanation of what they were going to be doing. It was interesting to see Snape in front of a group like that. Normally he was alone. Apparently challenging the Gryffindors was enough to get him a posse.

“This is all your fault, you know,” Remus said, waving a hand at the mess of people around them.

“Hardly,” Lily scoffed. “I didn’t organize this. All I did was make sure they all had the right gear, since none of you wizards played hockey growing up.”

“But you did play growing up,” Remus pointed out, accusatorily. “You and Snape together, before you ever came to Hogwarts. And you were reminiscing with him about it.”

Lily shot him a narrow-eyed glance. “So? I can talk to whoever I want.”

There was a challenge in her voice, like she was waiting for Remus to contradict her, like she was waiting for a fight. Remus, however, was not that stupid. He knew how Lily could get; she was worse than James, and that was saying something.

“Sure you can,” Remus agreed quickly. “And James can see it and call Snape a name that leads to a fight and ends us all here. Where a bunch of people are about to play a game they have never heard of so that James doesn’t feel like Severus has one up on him.”

“Sounds like it’s James’s fault then, not mine,” Lily said, crossing her arms, but she was frowning a little now.

Remus inclined his head to where James was standing with Sirius, Frank, Kingsley and Peter around him. Their heads were all bent together, a familiar tableau, as they discussed the game in front of them. Remus noticed that neither Benjy nor Edgar had arrived yet, and he knew the game was supposed to start soon.  

“James is a hothead,” Remus agreed, fondness clear in his voice. “You know how Snape sets him off, though, especially when you are around. And you didn’t exactly try to diffuse the situation.”

“No,” Lily agreed. “Once they brought it up, I thought a hockey game sounded fun.”

Remus opened his mouth to respond that it would really only be fun for her, since no one on the ice other than Snape knew what they were doing. But he was interrupted by James running up to them, a frown etched deep into his face.

“We need another player,” James said, jerking his thumb back at his team. “The game needs to start and I don’t think Benjy is up yet.”

Remus looked over at Lily, “Looks like you are going to get to play. Since you thought it would be fun and all.”

“I am the referee,” Lily said, shaking her head. “That was about the only thing James and Severus agreed on when they planned this thing. Apparently knowing the rules counts for something.”

“What about Edgar?” Remus gulped.

“He has an exam today, said he couldn’t make it,” James said quickly. “We need you to play, Remus.”

It was a terrible idea. Remus did not play team sports. He did not care for the ice. He had no stake in this game at all. Except that James was looking at him, all hopeful and earnest, like the fate of more than just a hockey game lay in the balance.

Behind James, Remus could see Sirius, who was nodding his head. The rest of the team was watching too, his housemates.

“Fine,” he said, because there was no way he could say no.

James grinned and slapped him on the back. “Great. Let’s get you ready.”

+++

“Ok, we are going to approach this just like Quidditch,” James said, pacing in front of his team. Remus was sitting on the ground, getting the extra pair of skates on. Sirius was sitting next to him, wand out, helping with the padding spell.

“Except on ice,” Frank pointed out, not sounding all too thrilled.

James nodded, “Right, so Frank, you are going to be standing in the goal. It’s basically like being a keeper. You keep the puck from going into the net.”

“On ice,” Frank said again, clearly not thinking his point had gotten through before. He was a good keeper, usually. Great on a broom, one of their best flyers. But on his feet he lacked that grace he had in the air.

Sirius admired how single-minded Frank was. The idea of the ice did not seem that bad to him, especially with all the preparation that was going into the skates and the pads. But Frank was worried and vocal about it. 

“Lily says skating is like getting to fly for muggles,” Peter said, trying to be helpful.

“No,” Kingsley corrected. “She said skating feels free like flying. I am not sure any of the same skills are involved.”

Peter had a way of misunderstanding, or repeating things back wrong. Sirius was not sure if it was a talent or not. He was okay on the team, but there was always something off about him in moments like this, where he seemed not to understand the people around him. 

James waved a hand in the air. “It doesn’t matter what it feels like, it matters how we play. So Peter, you and Kingsley are going to be defensemen. That’s like being a beater. Kingsley, I know usually you fly seeker, but there is no role like that in this game. And without Benjy we are down a beater.”

“Fine with me, captain,” Kingsley agreed.

Bar none, Kingsley was the most easygoing of the whole Quidditch team. And the one Sirius wanted behind him in a fight. 

“Which leaves Sirius, Remus, and I to play forward,” James said, looking over at his two best friends. Sirius was still muttering spells under his breath. But Remus nodded. “Remus, since you don’t usually practice with us, just do what you can. Get the puck to Sirius or myself. As chasers we have a lot of practice aiming for a goal.”

This, Sirius knew he could handle. Sure, he was still tired and yes, the sun was barely up. But playing with his team, playing for James as his captain, that he could do. He would do. And he would do well. 

Only Remus was not normally on their team. He was, when it was just him and James and Peter and Sirius. But not when it came to team sports. Sirius looked over at his normally more timid friend and shot him a questioning look. 

Remus gave a weak smile, just as Lily blew a whistle. “Everyone, let’s go,” she shouted, and they all made for the ice.

Sirius jumped up, excited to play. He would give it his all, to crush the Slytherins and Snape, like always. But he made up his mind to keep an eye on Remus, just to make sure he was okay. 

+++

The skating itself was actually kind of fun, once Remus got the hang of it. He knew James had been practicing with Lily all winter, but everyone else was new to it. James and Snape only had the argument that lead to this game two days before, so there wasn’t a lot of time to get everyone up to speed.

For the most part, the Slytherins actually seem to be doing much better on the ice. They all seemed like they had done this before. The Gryffindors, on the other hand, were a bit of a mess. Kingsley was a natural, James and Sirius were holding their own, and Remus thought he was doing okay.

But in the goal, Frank was barely managing to stay on his feet. And Peter was falling down every time he moved more than three feet.  

Lily had enchanted all the skates, on both sides of the game, to make the skating easier, so they could all play the game. But the Slytherins seemed to be having a much easier time of it. 

The puck was moving quickly, though no one had yet managed to get it into either of the goals. Remus was following it with his eyes as best he could. He was moving, trying to do his best to get in the way of the Slytherins and let Sirius stay open. That was about as good as he could manage. 

He lost sight of the puck for a moment as Kingsley practically floated by, getting in the way of a Slytherin pass. And then, suddenly, it was flying right at him. 

Not on the ice, in the air. 

Remus barely had a moment to brace himself before the puck hit him, straight on, right in the chest. 

“Ugh,” Remus let out a grunt of discomfort, as the force of the puck knocked him down onto his back. The air left his chest in a deep burst. 

The padding charms seemed to be doing their work because Remus did not feel the hit, only the momentum, and then the ice. His hands still went to his chest where he was hit. He sucked in a breath, mostly to make sure he could. 

He was fine, he realized. Maybe a little sore. And his pride was a little bruised. But he pushed himself back up, onto his knees, so that he could show his teammates he was fine, and the game could go on. 

It would not go on, he realized, as soon as he managed to get a good look at the ice. Because what was going on in front of him was total chaos. 

Sticks were on the ice, and no one was chasing the puck. Instead Sirius was punching Evan Rosier. Everyone else seemed to be caught up in either stopping or helping the fight. 

+++

“Hey! Hey!” James was yelling in Sirius’s ear. 

He could just barely hear it over the rush of blood in his head, over the adrenaline coursing through his system. 

Sirius could feel James’s familiar hands on his shoulders, pulling him back. Across from him, the Slytherins were doing the same, pulling back those that were in the scuffle. 

The fight was clearly over. 

Sirius let his fists drop, suddenly feeling how heavy they were. He looked down unsurprised to see them swollen and covered in blood. From the feel of it, his face was probably not fairing much better. 

“It’s over, man, it’s over,” Kingsley was saying from next to James. 

Sirius nodded, making it clear that he heard, that he was not going to lunge again at the idiot who at hit the puck right at Remus’s body. Even if he wanted to. Even if those Slytherins needed to learn a lesson. 

He forced himself to look around. Everyone looked as if they had taken a hit or two, even Peter, who usually ran from confrontation. The Slytherins were looking even worse off, hobbling off the ice. Sirius pushed a piece of his hair out of his face and felt blood smear along his forehead. He was sure he was a sight to see as well. 

“Remus?” Sirius asked, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to look over at the place on the ice where his friend had gone down. 

The ice was empty now, and Sirius felt a spike of adrenaline run through him again. He had to get to Remus, to make sure he was okay. 

“I’m right here, you idiot,” came the familiar and calming voice of Remus. 

Sirius looked over to the side of the ice, where they had all been getting ready before the game. And there he was. Standing next to Lilly. He looked tired but no worse for wear. 

Sirius skated out of James’s hands, and James let him go without a fight. He made it the final bit, until he was off the ice, and then sat down hard on the ground. A drop of blood dripped into his eye, as he attempted to pull off his skates, but his hands had started shaking, ever so slightly. 

A warm hand covered his own and Sirius looked to see Remus throw himself onto the ground next to him. 

“You hurt?” Sirius asked. Remus looked fine, but Sirius had seen him get hit. He had seen Remus practically fly up into the air and then land down on the ice, hard. Just watching it had looked painful. 

“No worse than you,” Remus said, his lips pressed together, a thoughtful look on his face. 

Remus reached out his free hand, the one that was not covering Sirius’s, and wiped a lock of hair out of Sirius’s face His finger came back coated in blood. Sirius’s head must have been bleeding worse then he realized. 

“Huh,” Sirius grunted. With the adrenaline leaving his body, he was starting to feel cold. And the pain was starting to come through. “I don’t suppose Alice is here to heal me?”

Remus looked around them, and Sirius followed his eyes. Everyone else was huddled away in groups, all the Slytherins together and all the Gryffindors together. Alice was clearly not among them. 

“I don’t think James predicted you going off and picking a fight with the entirety of the other team,” Remus said, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. “Otherwise I am sure he would have asked. Or he would have had Frank do it. Either way. Unfortunately, you have once again proved entirely unpredictable.” 

“That’s me, a man of mystery,” Sirius said.

“A man of punching, at least,” Remus suggested. 

Sirius rolled his eyes,  “What will I do next?”

“Get some medical attention, probably,” Remus responded, sounding rather cheerful. 

“A good idea,” Sirius admitted. He started to stand up, slowly, but Remus jumped to his feet much faster. He grabbed Sirius’s hand, the one his had been covering, and pulled the other boy up with him. 

“Come on then, I’ll go with you,” Remus said, not bothering to look back at the ice. He must have assumed James would figure it out. 

Sirius was less sure. “What about the game?”

Remus shrugged but did not look confused or worried at all. “No, this is more important.”

A warm feeling surged up in Sirius’s chest. The way Remus was looking at him, paying attention to him, putting him first. No one else ever did that for him. It was special. 

+++


End file.
